Several years ago The Pokémon Company newly tied up with Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV) and created “Pokémon UNITE Koshien,” a national tournament open to teams of high school students all over Japan*. The aim was to give the nation’s high schoolers an exciting opportunity to make life-long memories through “Pokémon UNITE” teamplay during their summer holiday.
*The name “Koshien” comes from a wildly popular high school baseball championship series launched over 100 years ago. It takes place at Koshien Stadium near Kobe.
“Pokémon UNITE” was launched in 2021 as Pokémon’s first strategic team battle game. Each team comprises 5 players who, maneuvering buddy Pokémon, battle to score goals against their opponent team. Since the app’s launch in July 2021, more than 150 million downloads have been recorded worldwide.
In 2022, the game’s fast-growing popularity led to the creation of “Pokémon UNITE Koshien,” a tournament series in which 5-player teams from all across Japan do battle toward national victory. The tournament series unfolds like this. Teams of “Pokémon UNITE” players from high schools around the country first participate in regional competitions. Next, the winners of the regional competitions go on to compete in a tournament at the national level. Besides the players themselves, the championships generate excited interest among their family members as well as graduates of the participating high schools. In this way, Pokémon UNITE Koshien is an ideal format for expressing local pride rooted in youth culture.
Nippon TV, as a partner in the championships’ development, thought the excitement generated by game teamplay would mesh perfectly with the buoyant enthusiasm typical of high school-age students. High school is a time when many students get involved in sports – including eSports – whether as a player or just an eager supporter. Whatever the role, the shared camaraderie is palpable, and this was a major incentive behind the broadcaster’s decision to participate in the development of Pokémon UNITE Koshien.
Before Pokémon UNITE Koshien, Pokémon had no official competition specifically targeted at high school students. We were also well aware that high school is a time when many students tend to lose interest in Pokémon. We believed that launching a new tournament especially for high school students might turn this situation around.
Achieving that aim was no simple matter, though. The biggest hurdle was to attract interest from the nation’s high schools – especially during the first year, when the tournament was virtually unknown. To overcome this, at Pokémon we made lists of high schools that actively promote eSports. Then we telephoned them, one by one, to describe the tournament and call for their participation. To boost recognition of the tournament we also requested that schools display promotional posters, and we publicized through TV and various social media.
These steady efforts ultimately resulted in attracting more high schools to the first tournament than we had anticipated. Many high schoolers were thrilled to learn of an opportunity to participate in such an exciting event – all the more so because their extracurricular activities were sorely restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic. The tournament presented them with an exhilarating new challenge.
To make Pokémon UNITE Koshien unique in every way, special measures were taken in setting down the tournament rules. With the Pokémon UNITE World Championships, a “draft pick” method is adopted whereby, in each battle, players are prohibited from using specified Pokémon, and teams are prevented from choosing any Pokémon that its opposing team has already selected. For Pokémon UNITE Koshien, to allow players greater freedom, a “blind pick” method was decided on which gives them a free choice of “buddy” Pokémon to play with.
The 1st Pokémon UNITE Koshien took place in 2022, still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a situation which necessitated the event being held without any audiences. The tournament attracted great interest nonetheless, thanks to its being streamed live on YouTube. Real-time commentary made the gameplay easy to understand for everyone following along, and pinpoint visual explanations also gave a major boost to enjoyment on the sidelines. Together, these and other measures made it possible for everybody – even those with no prior knowledge of “Pokémon UNITE,” including players’ schoolmates, parents, and so on – to follow along and feel the excitement of the competition.
Happily, for the 2nd tournament, held in 2023, audience restrictions were no longer necessary, and large crowds were on hand to watch the games and root for the teams vying for victory. School friends, family members, even teachers thronged the venues, making for extremely exciting times for everyone. This joyous momentum carried over into the 3rd Pokémon UNITE Koshien, which took place earlier this year. Following the regional competitions, the finals were held in August.
Each year, the national tournament has attracted a growing number of participating schools and teams, making for ever more thrilling competitions. Among the finalists in 2023 was a player who went on to place 4th in the Pokémon UNITE Division of that year’s Pokémon World Championships*. What’s more, a middle school student who attended the 2023 tournament to cheer on that same player became a finalist himself in the 2024 competition. These dramatic developments demonstrate how Pokémon UNITE Koshien provides a perfect opportunity to discover and develop new talented players.
* Besides “Pokémon UNITE,” competitions are held in 3 other Divisions: Video Game, Trading Card Game, and Pokémon GO.
To bring ever more excitement and interest to Pokémon UNITE Koshien, plans are now underway to produce a documentary featuring some of its star players. By introducing how the game’s players are each unique – in addition to being fantastic eSports aficionados – the documentary will generate new heroes for fans to follow and emulate, thereby increasing the number of people who enjoy following, and playing, “Pokémon UNITE.”
After just three years, Pokémon UNITE Koshien is already a passionate summer event for large numbers of high school students. And in the years ahead, through the tournament more and more players and fans will be making exciting Pokémon memories to cherish for a lifetime.
